Festival of Cards
by Starry Eyed Artist
Summary: The Festival of Cards is coming up, and Lukas finds himself with more on his plate than he can handle. As well as having to protect the Royals of Spades, he has to deal with people normally considered enemies, and a Dane he just can't shake. He has a weeks to deal with the insanity of the festival - if only he can stay sane that long. *DenNor, Cardverse AU, T for language*
1. Chapter 1

Violet eyes started attentively down the hallway, watching for unwanted visitors. Instead of invaders, visitors clad in different hues of reds greeted the ashen-blonde's eyes. The colors of the newcomers told Lukas exactly who was coming. His face remained emotionless as the four figures approached and came to a pause in front of him.

"Your Majesties." Lukas bowed, one foot a step forward, the opposite arm tucked underneath him and placed at the bottom of his stomach as the other rested at the base of his spine. The knight was conscious in these movements, and he executed them without a single flaw. As he stood back up, he turned to the double doors behind him. He knocked on the doors, and pushed them open with a loud creak. Warm air blew out from the throne room, where everything was accented blue.

Arthur Kirkland and Alfred Jones, the Queen and King of Spades. Arthur sat properly, as all nobles should; back straight, ankles crossed, chin tucked. His hands were resting in his lap, fingers still. Alfred sat sloppy, leaned back against the plush blue cushions of his throne. His elbow was perched on one arm rest and he leaned into his hand, a small smirk decorating his lips. One leg was crossed over the other, his left foot waving a bit in the air. Lukas turned to the foursome of people he was escorting, face void of expression. King Ludwig nodded to him and Lukas stepped back from them, turning and bowing once more.

"Mathias, you shall stay out here." The King of Hearts spoke to the tallest of the bunch, who nodded swiftly and stepped out of the throne room. Lukas joined him as the royals of Hearts passed, giving a small nod in reply to the smile the Jack sent his way. Lukas swept out of the room, the doors slamming shut behind him. Silence filled the corridor for a few brief moments.

"Hey there." The knight was grinning at Lukas, and the Norwegian barely cast him a glance. "You're ignoring me?" He chuckled, quirking an eyebrow, and received no response. Lukas just stared forward, peering through the strands of hair that hung in his eyes. His golden cross pin glinted in the light leaking through the tinted windows, holding back a good section of the ashen hair.

"I'm Mathias Kohler, by the way." The Knight of Hearts held out his hand, smile never wavering. Lukas barely turned his head, but that was enough to get the other in full sight. His gaze flickered from the other Knight's face to his hand, and the Norwegian's violet eyes narrowed to almost slits.

"… You won't drop your hand unless I introduce myself, will you?"

"Nope." Lukas rolled his eyes, gaze cast up to the ceiling far above them.

"Lukas Bondevik." He brought his hand up and shook Mathias's, subconsciously tracing half of a spade into the other's skin with his thumb, as he always did when shaking hands with another member of his own castle. It was simply a reflex that was trained into him from the start.

To his surprise, he received a response. It felt like a spade, but it took Lukas no time at all to figure out that it was a heart instead. He drew his hand back and it fell back against his side. The two Knights observed one another for a few long moments in silence, which the Spade was relieved to have.

"You're Danish." It wasn't a question. Mathias quirked an eyebrow at the other's bluntness, but a smile still remained present on his lips. Lukas found with irritation that there was amusement in that smirk.

"Wow, you're quite blunt aren't ya? How'd you know?" The Dane's tone irked him further. It was cocky and sarcastic, and Lukas found himself having to unclench his fists before he could throw a punch at the other's face. Oh how he wished to. Lukas had been treated with respect his whole life, so the other's tone was irritating him and angering him.

"A hunch." Another short answer escaped the Knight's lips. Lukas turned away from him and let out a short sigh, feeling irritation creep beneath his skin. Another silence ensued the Norwegian's words, Mathias attempting conversation only to receive either silence or short, curt answers.

"Great gods above, give me a proper answer!" A smirk twisted onto Lukas's lips as he heard the annoyance and whine in the Danish man's voice. Running a few fingers through his fair blond locks, Lukas continued to be silent for a few more moments to try and grate on the other's nerves. Mathias gave a childish huff, and Lukas's head jerked slightly as he snorted, raising a hand the stifle the sound.

"You're such a child." Lukas's voice echoed in the empty corridor, amusement hiding in his violet gaze. Mathias brightened slightly, and Lukas felt a faint tug in the back of his mind as he wondered why. He assumed it was because he wasn't being silent anymore.

"I am not!" Mathias argued, trying to pout.

"You countered it with a childish remark as well." Lukas replied smoothly.

"If anything, _you're_ being the kid here."

"How so? I'm intrigued as to how you've come to that conclusion." The Norwegian's voice was practically oozing with sarcasm, and he rolled his eyes.

"Smart ass." The Dane huffed, folding his arms.

"I'm much more intelligent than a mule." Lukas turned to look at the other to find that Mathias was grinning. The Dane laughed cheerfully, unfolding his arms and clapping his hand on the Norwegian's shoulder. Lukas hadn't been prepared for it, and he flinched slightly at the casual contact.

"You know," Mathias started. "I think we could get along." Lukas rolled his eyes for the second time in their conversation. He doubted that they could ever get along; the Dane was just so _annoying_.

The doors opened, and Lukas was suddenly at attention. His expression hardened into an emotionless mask once more. He bowed as both sets of royals exited the Throne Room, hair falling into his face a bit. Mathias received a nudge when he didn't follow the other Knight's example, and he quickly copied the Norwegian.

"Lukas," Alfred addressed. Standing up straight, Lukas turned his gaze to his superior. Alfred was smiling, Arthur on his arm. Lukas noted that the Queen looked slightly annoyed at being treated womanly, but made no signs that he was anything less than comfortable.

"Yes, your Highness?"

"Escort our guests to their rooms, will you?" Lukas nodded. "We will wait here for news of the other Royals." Alfred had a smile on his face, and he and Arthur turned to face Ludwig and Kiku. They bowed to the set of royals and they received the same gesture in return. The Spades Royals swept back into the throne room.

"Follow me, please." Lukas said politely, and began walking down the halls at a brisk pace.

.:o0o:.

Feliciano, Ludwig, and Kiku received guest rooms next to each other in the east wing. Lukas was polite and respectful to them, and was very formal. Mathias trailed after the Norwegian, a stupid little grin on his face. Once the other three had retired, Mathias was led to his room, next to Feliciano's.

Lukas pushed open the door for him, and Mathias's eyes widened slightly. The room was a deep shade of royal blue, and the carpet was tan. He took a step inside, leaning his battleaxe against the wall. A low whistle of appreciation left his lips as he did an entire rotation to take it all in, his own blue eyes wide.

The bed had gray pillows with blue and black accents, and the sheets were white with different shades of blue embroidery. He ran his fingers of the smooth material, and continued to look around. Two large windows had sunlight pouring into the room, and Mathias cringed mentally to think of how horrible waking up would be. He hated waking up to sunlight in his eyes, but he noticed with relief that a set of navy curtains, appearing to have been made of a heavy material, were drawn to the side.

"Yo, Lukas," The Norwegian paused as he was starting to leave.

"…Yes?"

"It alright if I hang with you for a while? I'll need a tour, anyways." Lukas frowned slightly, and the Dane thought that it looked horrible on him. The Norwegian seemed to be thinking about the offer, and he gave a slight nod of approval before speaking.

"… I guess so." Mathias brightened, and he took a step out of what was to be his room for the week. He closed the door behind him, waiting for the satisfactory _click_ it made, and grinned at the other. Honestly, he thought that was Lukas was rather pretty; ashen blonde hair, fair skin, large violet eyes. _Kind of like a girl._ He chuckled at the thought, and Lukas quirked an eyebrow. The Spade kept quiet though, refusing to bring the chuckling to attention.

"So, where're we going?" Mathias trailed after him like a puppy, blue eyes impossibly bright. Lukas gave him a dry look before turning and walking down the corridor with surprisingly quick, long strides. Mathias had to jog to catch up with him and extended his walking stride to keep up.

"I want to stop by my room." Lukas said dryly. Mathias shrugged at his irritated tone, trailing after him. The Knight slowed in front of a blank portion of the wall, where the distance between doors became uneven. His fingers brushed the blue-hued wall and a door formed. Placing a hand on the silvery-blue knob, her turned it and pushed the heavy oak doors open. The interior of this room was different than Mathias's; that was the first thing he'd noticed. Bookshelves lined two of the four walls, reaching all the way to the ceiling and filled to the brim with different types of books. The walls were cream instead of navy, and the carpet was almost white. The bed was pushed against the wall in front of a wide window, making it a very nice spot to read, and a long desk was pressed against the opposite wall. Papers were in a neat stack off to one side with a bottle of ink and feather nearby, and a couple of various books stacked to another. A small brown box was pressed against the wall, at the back of the desk, and the Dane faintly wondered what was in it.

Mathias stayed by the door awkwardly, taking everything in with his lips parted in shock.

"Well?" Lukas frowned at him.

"Well what?" He got an eye roll in response, and Mathis made a face in response.

"Move away from the door, dimwit." Lukas's tone was harsh, and Mathias stepped away. It clicked closed, and Mathias vaguely wondered if the door remained on the other side. Lukas picked up a few of the books that were scattered on the floor and returned them to their shelves, pausing to trace a finger over the spine of a thick, leather bound book. Mathias found the way the Norwegian moved intriguing, as if he'd practiced the motions hundreds upon hundreds of times. It was flawless.

Lukas turned around, quirking an eyebrow, and Mathias felt heat rise to his cheeks as he was caught staring. The Knight of Spades said nothing, and he brushed past Mathias to open the door. When their shoulder's brushed, electricity shot up the Danish man's arm, making the hair on the back of his neck prickle.

Mathias followed Lukas through the quiet corridors, humming slightly to ward off the silence. Lukas made absolutely no noise as he moved through the hallways and descended down the stairs. Mathias wondered if Lukas had learned to be so quiet, or if it just came naturally to the solemn Norwegian. He assumed the latter. Mathias was naturally a loud person, but he had years of practice to not make a sound when he was moving.

When he had first been chosen as a Knight, his family had rejoiced. The heart symbol over his own heart was a dead giveaway that he was a Knight. He remembered very little of going to the castle, or the days he spent learning manners and how to act properly. Ten years he'd spent under the careful watch of King Ludwig, learning everything he would need to protect his charges. He'd learned how to protect them, and to attack anything that seemed suspicious or mysterious. Memories of his screw-ups were painful to think about, as he remembered every last word yelled at him by a furious maid or butler, or calm, disappointed words that were spoken to him by the King.

Absorbed in his thoughts, he had run straight into Lukas, catching them both off guard. Mathias was pulled out of his trance instantly, and he instinctively grabbed the Norwegian's hand to keep him from tipping over, planting his weight in the heels of his feet to avoid having them both hit the hard flooring.

Lukas glared at him as he stood up, ripping his hand out of the Dane's grip. "Watch where you're going, idiotic anko." He hissed, voice filling with venom. He spun on heel and kept walking, and Mathias had to run to catch up; he was going so _fast_. Lukas weaved through the complicated hallways, and Mathias almost got lost a few times, even thought the layout of the palaces' were identical. Lukas ducked behind a staircase, and the Knight of Hearts quickly came to the realization of what the other was trying to do.

Lukas was trying to lose him.

A grin stretched onto the Dane's face as it occurred to him. It was like a game of tag, really, and he was "it". Mathias ducked behind the staircase after Lukas, finding a pattern in the way he was going. With his stupid grin still present on his expression, he ran straight ahead instead of turning in one of the corridors. Making a few turns, he caught sight of Lukas coming down the hall. He had to bite his lip to prevent any laughter from bubbling over, and he noticed that Lukas was glancing behind him to check for Mathias.

The Norwegian ran straight into him with a squeak of surprise and Mathias grabbed his wrists before he could bolt.

"Trying to lose me, Lukie?" Mathias teased. Lukas scowled at him, violet eyes flashing, and Mathias tightened his grip on the other's wrist. "Nice try."

He heard quiet Norwegian, and caught a few words of what the other was saying. Laughter finally escaped the Knight of Hearts lips, grinning at the smaller man.

"You've got quite the pottymouth, don't you?"

"Slipp meg før jeg skubbe mitt sverd gjennom hjertet." Lukas snarled in reply. Mathias took a few seconds to translate, and he chuckled.

"How would you do that without control of your hands?" He questioned. He was starting to like Lukas more and more. It would be fun to get on his nerves.

Lukas made a rather rude gesture with his hands in response.

"Ooh, someone's getting pissy." The Dane sang, smirking in victory.

"I _said_–" Lukas looked ready for slaughter, violet eyes fiery with anger.

"Yeah, yeah. I know." Mathias tightened his grip, and Lukas didn't even flinch at the lack of blood flow to his hands. Mathias could see his left eye twitch ever so slightly. "Promise you won't run off when I let you go?"

Lukas was silent for a couple of moments. "… Fine."

"What was that?" The Danish man pretended not to hear, a cocky smirk working it's way onto his lips.

"I promise! _Now let go of me_!" Lukas's violet eyes flashed and he managed to rip one hand away from the Dane's grip. He got a fistful of Mathias's scarlet tunic and slammed him against the wall, a dull thud echoing down the corridors.. Mathias's head cracked against the wall and he gritted his teeth in pain at impact. It took a moment for him to collect his breath, but he started laughing once he had.

"You look hot when you're angry," He croaked out. Lukas froze, and his expression went from one of murdering intent to one of surprise and shock. His grip went slack on Mathias's shirt, and his cheeks flushed pink at an alarming rate.

"Hold kjeft." Lukas hissed out, emotion seeping into his generally monotone voice.

"Hvorfor kan du ikke lukke mig op?" Mathias replied.

"You're impossible."

"Thanks for noticing, princess." Lukas gave him a strange look, cocking an eyebrow. Then he looked away and folded his arms, staring down the corridor in the direction they had come.

"I believe it's time for supper."

.:o0o:.

Supper consisted of three full courses, and Lukas sat opposite of Mathias. He'd picked at his food, trying his best to ignore the blue gaze burning into his skull. The conversation was light; talk about families and kingdoms, affairs of friends, stuff of that sort that was discussed at almost every meal until a new, more interesting topic came to mind.

"When will Diamonds and Clubs be making an appearance?" Kiku asked, tilting his head to the side a bit in curiosity.

Alfred shrugged slightly, running a hand through his hair. "I was told they should arrive tomorrow. Diamonds in the morning, and Clubs sometime around noon, I believe." With a small sigh, the King leaned into his hand.

"I believe Ivan and his court will be showing up just before the festivities." Arthur added.

Ludwig nodded, sipping at his beer. The liquid sloshed around in the mug, and some foam was left behind on the German's upper lip. Feliciano giggled and reached over with a napkin to wipe it away.

Lukas had nothing to say and it would be a lie to say that Yao, Arthur, and Alfred hadn't noticed. For that reason, they didn't address him at all throughout the meal, leaving the Knight to absorb himself in his thoughts. The Norwegian excused himself before dessert was served, disappearing from the hall and leaving behind an almost full plate. He climbed the steps to his room calmly, intent on removing all unwanted memories and forgetting them. He did this surprisingly often; going through all of his memories and discarding ones he deemed unnecessary.

"Lukas?" Lukas paused and turned a bit, looking down the steps. His younger brother Emil, who worked in the kitchen, climbed the steps to meet him, taking them two at a time.

"Good evening Emil." Lukas gave a slight smile to his younger brother, normally hidden affection seeping into his voice.

"You were more quiet than normal at dinner tonight; normally you have some smartass comment to throw in. You're alright, aren't you?" Emil, despite how he and Lukas bickered, adored his older brother and was never really all too sure how to phrase it without getting embarrassed.

"Yes, I'm fine. I just have no interest of being near the other Knight as of right now. " Lukas frowned slightly, and Emil nodded in understanding. He, too, found the Dane irritating, and understood that Lukas would have no desire to be anywhere near him.

"Okay, well… Sleep well, alright?" Emil cast a final worried look at his brother before he turned and trotted back down the stairs without another word. Lukas gave a slight smile in the Icelander's direction, affection written all over his face. Then he turned on heel and rushed to his room, footsteps abnormally loud as he took off in the direction of his safe haven.

He was glad to close the door behind him and he stared out the windows of his room. The moon was shining beautifully, and the stars twinkled alongside it as they tried to match it's brilliance. The corner's of Lukas's lips twitched into a smile, and he began unbuttoning his tunic. Casting the long blue coat aside, it fell upon the chair positioned at his desk. He started unbuttoning his shirt, fingers fumbling with the buttons as they began to shake. Once removed, that was cast to the side as well and his pants were left where they fell.

Pulling his pin out of his hair, he fingered the golden cross as memories flickered across his thought process. Presing the cool metal to his lips, Lukas let out a soft sigh that fogged up the precious metal.

"Jeg vil ikke glemme." He breathed out, and set it on his bedside table. Lukas crawled under his covers, quickly engulfed and the warmth of all three layers, and welcomed sleep with open arms as unconsciousness tugged at the back of his mind.

.:o0o:.

_Alrighty! So, I was reading through this again and realized that, really, it could be so much better than it is. I actually have the plot and the story planned out now, and I'm going to have one of my friend's pressure me to work on this. I really want to get it done, I swear!_

_To those of you who read the original, isn't this one better? I certainly think so; I really do. I want to set a deadline for this story, which I think will be around every week to every two weeks because school's back in session and it's slowly chipping away at my soul. QwQ_

_Translations:_

_Slipp meg før jeg skubbe mitt sverd gjennom hjertet. (Norwegian): Let go of me before I put my sword through your heart._

_Hold kjeft. (Norwegian): Shut up._

_Hvorfor kan du ikke lukke mig op? (Danish): Why don't you shut me up?_

_Jeg vil ikke glemme. (Norwegian): I will not forget._

_Alrighty! I do not own Hetalia, any of it's characters, the Hetalia Cardverse, or basically anything besides the plotline of this story! I totally wish I owned Norway, but I don't so whatever. That nation would be in ruins if I was in charge XD_

_-StarryEyedArtist, signing off!_


	2. Chapter 2

Lukas woke well before dawn, eyesight hazy and mind blank. He sat up, his head pounding painfully, and gathered fistfuls of his sheets. A long shudder went down his spine, accompanied by a chill. Cussing quietly in Norwegian, he slithered out of bed. The steady ticking of the grandfather clock in his room reassured Lukas that he was no longer asleep, and he looked at the surface to try and see the time.

Giving up on that, he picked up the pants on the floor and threw them into the laundry hamper, along with the white button up. He pulled a fresh one, this time dark gray with blue accents in the cuffs and collar, out of his closet, as well as a clean pair of pants. Pulling them on, he grabbed a towel and made his way out of the room.

Padding quietly through the halls, he paused in front of Emil's room on the second floor. it was silent for the most part, but Lukas strained his ears to try and catch any sign that Emil was still in his room. He caught the sound of light snoring and Lukas released the breath he had been holding. He continued walking down the halls that he memorized at a much younger age, and he stopped in front of a heavy oak door, closer to the back of the castle.

Pushing it open, he winced at the loud creak that it emitted and slipped through the narrow opening between the heavy door and the doorframe. Taking a deep breath, Lukas inhaled the fresh outdoor air, the roses perfume reaching his nose. As he kept walking, completely reliant on muscle memory, he tried his best to clear the fogginess in his head.

The Knight found himself in front of a decent sized hot spring, just staring blankly at the steaming water before he could pull himself back to reality. After snapping out of his trance, he hopped down onto the stone path that led off of the porch and paused in front of the spring. Stripping off his clothing, he folded each article neatly and stacked them away from the water and dirt so they would stay clean.

Sliding into the water slowly, Lukas allowed the heat to wake him up and pull him back to reality. He dunked his head underwater, allowing the heated water of the spring to wash over his hair and his face. Bursting out of the water, he gasped and spluttered, wiping the water from his eyes to clear his vision. Yeah, he was definitely awake now.

He leaned against the edge of the pool, taking in a deep breath. Staring up at the still dark sky, he counted the few lights that remained. He tried to connect them, but he lost track of which stars he'd connected and which remained. The sky was slowly turning a lighter gray, faint blue streaks beginning to decorate the pitch sky.

"Mind if I join you?" Lukas's head snapped to the new arrival and he took in a deep breath, automatic irritation washing over him. Of course, his few moments of peace every morning were going to be ruined by this guy.

Mathias had a towel slung over his shoulder and a bundle of clothing tucked under his arm. A towel was tied around his waist, protecting his decency, and Lukas found himself rolling his eyes A bit in exasperation.

"Go right ahead." Lukas had really wanted to say _'I'd rather you not'_, but he decided he would try to attempt kindness – or at least a form of respect – towards the irritating knight.

"Tak."

"Du er velkommen," Lukas replied flatly.

"You know, you're pretty rude." Mathias pulled the towel from his waist, letting it stay where it fell, and Lukas averted his eyes as the Danish man slid into the water.

"I am not rude." Lukas defended, twitching slightly.

"Yeah, you really are." Mathias laughed, leaning against the edge of his side of the spring. Lukas didn't reply, and he disappeared under the surface of the water. The Dane quirked an eyebrow, but made no comment as the Norwegian came back up. He just slunk further down into the water and tilted his head back, sky blue eyes fluttering closed.

Lukas managed to keep himself from staring at the other male, for the most part at least. He himself was a bit insecure about his body and lack of muscles; he always had been. He was thin, with very little visible muscle and dare he say curves. Both his skin and his hair were fair, his body void of scars, and he was built with a girlish figure, much to his displeasure. Even his face resembled a woman's; it wasn't broad enough or wide enough or square enough. He had even been mistaken as female out on the streets, which wounded his pride more than he cared to admit.

Mathias, obviously, never had that issue crop up. He had visible muscles on both his arms and his stomach, but they weren't so large that it was unattractive or repulsive. Various scars were visible on the other's chest and across his shoulders. His face wasn't rounded, like Lukas's was, it was more angular and masculine and just overall screamed _male_.

The longer he stared at the Dane, the warmer his cheeks began to feel as color crept into his pale skin. Lukas slunk down into the water until his nose was only a few centimeters above the surface, trying his best to hide the fact that he was blushing furiously. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath through his nose to calm himself down.

Lukas had never been very open about his sexuality, preferring to keep it hidden. Many people in the Spades kingdom were attracted to the opposite or both genders, and the Norwegian had been alarmed to learn that woman were not attractive to him in any way. He could gauge how pretty they were by social standards, yes, but he'd always been much more attracted to the male gender.

He was embarrassed to think that he found this Danish nuisance attractive. Closing his eyes, he found comfort in the factor that he was not attracted to the other Knight romantically or otherwise, and just found his appearance satisfying. In almost all cases, Lukas seemed to be incapable of romantic feelings.

"Lukas?" The Norwegian's eyes fluttered open and he peered at Mathias. He appeared, concerned, and the Spade sat up a bit straighter, cursing the flush in his cheeks. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm _fine_. It's just the heat." Venom laced his first sentence and he cast a glance up at the sky. He found that the sun was peeking through the treetops, signaling the light of dawn and the fact that he'd been in the water far too long. "I've been in here too long is all."

Mathias gave him a disbelieving look as the Norwegian climbed out, but the knight either didn't see it or ignored it. Lukas kept his body facing away from his companion, droplets of water sliding down his skin and dripping from the ends of his hair. He dried off as quickly as he could, anxious to get the hell away from Mathias as quick as he possibly could. Rubbing his hair dry with the towel, he felt the hair on the back of his neck prickle as he felt someone staring at him.

"Stop staring at me." Lukas's voice broke the silence, and Mathias blinked in surprise.

"I'm not!" Mathias defended. Lukas didn't reply, instead choosing to pull up his underwear and pants. Slipping his arms through the sleeves of his shirt, he twisted the button on his collar, trying to quell the rising feeling of what he thought was panic. He picked up his towel and just barely managed to keep from bolting away from the Danish man and back into the safety of the indoors like a scared rat. He disappeared back into the castle and leaned against the door. Taking a long, deep breath, he calmed himself down and pushed off the heavy wood to straighten himself back up.

As he made his way back to his room, his fingers fumbled with the buttons on his shirt. As the shirt was buttoned up higher, Lukas felt himself growing more secure and calm. He liked that he could hide his girly figure under clothes and make himself appear much more masculine; he didn't the need to be self-conscious.

As he climbed the steps, he nodded to the few servants who were waking up and beginning to mull around. He paused in front of Emil's door, and knocked gently. He was answered with a muffled "Come in." He pushed the door open, and gave a slight smile to his younger brother as he poked his head into the room.

"God morgen, Emil." Lukas's lips twitched into a smile as Emil's expression brightened.

"Góðan daginn!" Emil replied, obviously in a good mood. Lukas took another step into the room and closed the door behind him.

"You ready for today?" Lukas asked, tlting his head a bit to the side. It had become a daily ritual to stop by Emil's room after taking his bath, just to make sure that the younger Icelandic boy was awake. Emil had insisted that Lukas didn't need to take care of him anymore, but the day after he declared he could take care of himself, the Norwegian didn't show up and Emil almost had a heart attack. That had been how Lukas had proved his point, and Emil hadn't complained about it since.

"I am, but you aren't!" Emil's voice held a slight scolding tone, and he moved forward, closer to his brother. "Your hair's messed up – where's your pin? – and you aren't even wearing your coat."

"You sound like mother!" Lukas chuckled slightly, swatting playfully at Emil. He received a nasty face, a huff, and a swat in response.

"I don't care if I sound like our mother. The Diamonds and Clubs are coming today, and the Starting Ball is tonight, remember?" Emil put his hands on his hips, striking a feminine pose.

"How could I forget?" Lukas responded. "Now, I'll go finish getting ready, _mother_."

"You're a jerk!" Emil retorted as his brother's back turned to him.

Lukas didn't miss a beat in his reply. "You love me anyways." He closed his brother's door and continued his trek down the hall to his own room. He pushed his door open, and snuck a glance at himself in his mirror. His hair was matted in a few places and ratty in others, and some pieces stuck up at odd angles.

He let out a quiet, almost inaudible laugh at his own ragged appearance and he picked up his comb. He raked the small comb through his hair to work out the knots, wincing occasionally when it would get caught. Once his hair was smooth and lay how he wanted it to, Lukas picked up his pin. Pulling back some of his hair on the left side of his head, her clipped it in place. Picking up his tunic, Lukas gave a small frown at how wrinkled the fabric was. After shaking it out, he slipped his arms through the sleeves of the smooth, warm fabric. The stiff collar brushed his jaw line and he shuddered at the tickling sensation. His jaw and neck were more sensitive when it came to the ticklish parts of his body, and he hated it.

After buttoning his tunic all the way up, he took a look at his appearance in his full-length mirror. Twisting back one way and then the other, Lukas examined how his tunic moved and lay. Something was missing, though… It didn't take him long to look down at his cock-clad feet and realize he needed his boots. He pulled them up and laced them, and then took another look. Lukas turned slightly each way as he had previously and was satisfied with his choice of clothing. He turned and walked out of his roomslightly dreading facing the rest of the day.

.:o0o:.

Mathias moved through the decently crowded hallways, chatting with some of the servants who he encountered. He felt much better after his soak and he was much more awake, but concern for the other Knight was growing in the back of his mind. Finding himself in front of his Jack's room, he knocked on Feliciano's door.

"Hey, Feli, I'm coming in." He pushed the door open and found Feliciano already awake and dressed.

"Oh!" The Jack beamed at him with bright eyes. "Good morning Mathi!" He waved childishly, and Mathias couldn't help but smile at the other man's childishness. "What brings you here?" The Italian cocked his head, golden eyes shining.

"I was gonna make sure you were awake. Could you do me a favor and wake up King Ludwig for me? I think that if I try, he'll attempt to strangle me." Feliciano nodded in agreement, and Mathias rubbed his neck, a sheepish grin on his lips.

"I can do that!" Feliciano chirped in agreement, bobbing his head in a nod.

"You're the best." Mathias bowed slightly before exiting the room. Looking around for the staircase he'd just come from, he switched his battleaxe from one hand to the other. He walked further down the hall and started descending the nearest staircase. A gleam caught his eye and he looked up from where his gaze was focused. He paused and looked over at the other staircase, opposite of the one he was on, and saw Lukas walking silently the stairs. The golden hairpin he wore caught the light streaming in from the humongous windows and appeared to be glowing.

Pausing at the middle section of the stairs, where the two staircases met, Mathias looked up at Lukas, his breath hitching. The sunlight illuminated the other Knight, making him glow. His ashen hair was illuminated by the bright sunlight, making it appear white, and Mathias couldn't help but thank that Lukas looked like an angel. He blinked rapidly a few times and shook his head, making sure that he wasn't hallucinating. Nope, Lukas still looked perfect.

Mathias stuffed one hand into his pocket, the other gripping onto his battleaxe's handle as he propped it against his shoulder. He grinned at the Norwegian as he got to the bottom of the staircase.

"Hey Lukas! You're looking better." Lukas gave no response and no indication that he heard the other Knight's words, turning to descend the next set of stairs. Mathias followed him, skipping the last three steps to get further ahead of his new friend. He grinned back at his companion and received an eye roll in response as Lukas passed by. Happy greetings bubbled from his lips, directed to the servants they passed while propping up his axe on his shoulder instead of dragging it behind him.

Lukas suddenly stopped and turned around to face the Dane. "Why are you following me?" He asked coldly, violet eyes narrowed.

Mathias tilted his head to the side slightly, eyebrows knitting together in confusion. "What?"

"You're following me. Why?" Lukas folded his arms, a scowl making its way onto his face.

"Oh." Mathias laughed slightly and Lukas's mood seemed to drop even further, the air around him getting colder. "You're good company, and I'll get bored wandering around by myself!"

"You could be, oh I don't know, _with your Royals_." Lukas responded venomously.

"Oh, stop being so cold Lukas." Mathias ruffled the other's hair and earned his hand being swatted away. Lukas said nothing further to him and he stalked towards the kitchen with a non-bothered Mathias trailing behind him.

"Oh, hey Lukas." Mathias peeked around Lukas to see a younger boy with silvery hair and pink-colored eyes. What caught his attention the most was that Lukas visibly relaxed as the other boy spoke and the Norwegian cast a glare back at Mathias.

"Hey Emil." Lukas tilted his head slightly, and pointed to the platter the Icelander held. "What's that?"

"Part of brunch." Emil responded. His gaze wandered from Lukas to Mathias and the Dane waved slightly, a cheerful smile on his. "… You're Mathias, right?"

"That'd be me." The Heart chirped out happily, nodding.

"…Huh." Emil shrugged and brushed past them to go to the dining room, exchanging a glance with Lukas.

"Huh?" Mathias cocked his head to the side in confusion and glanced at the shorter Knight. He didn't get a response from him and Lukas just turned and walked out of the kitchen without a word. Mathias jogged after him, somehow keeping a decent speed while carrying his god-knows-how-heavy weapon.

They exited the castle, and Mathias blinked in the bright morning light. Lukas moved to stand nearby the castle doors, his expression betraying absolutely nothing of what was going on in his head. He stood at attention and it took Mathias a couple of moments to realize that he was at his post. Laughter bubbled from his lips, and Lukas looked at Mathias like he was absolutely insane.

"Why are you laughing?" Lukas questioned, tilting his head to the side.

"Because! It's the Festival of Cards, Lukas! You don't have to be _working_!" Mathias replied through his laughter. Lukas narrowed his eyes and huffed childishly, folding his arms and pointedly looking away from the other. The Dane calmed down a bit, but he still chuckled here and there in amusement.

"You're laughing at me." Lukas accused after about ten minutes of listening to Mathias stifle laughter. The Dane could almost swear that he saw a vein pulse on the other's temple, which made him grin despite himself.

"What if I am?" Mathias countered cockily.

"Then stop." Violet eyes glared into blue and Mathias just smiled wordlessly. What happened next was a blur to him, but Lukas grabbed the Dane's neck, annoyance peeking through his calm masquerade, and he quickly had the other in a chokehold. The sound of hooves beating against the cobble road leading to the castle pulled their attention from one another as a golden carriage pulled up.

"Ah, the Kingdom of Spades!" An accented voice came from the carriage, and the door swung open. Francis stepped onto the cobble and he smiled at Lukas and Mathias. "Did we stumble upon a lovers spat?" Lukas flushed and released Mathias, shoving him away as if he were on fire.

"I believe you're mistaken, your Majesty. I am a not lover to that imbecile." He responded, a bit quicker than he should have, his pale cheeks tinted red.

"Oh? My dear sir, your red cheeks say differently~!" Francis cooed. Lukas bristled slightly, turning even redder and he refused to look in Mathias's direction.

"Francis, please don't harass them." A soft voice joined into the conversation, and Lukas gave a low bow to the Queen of Diamonds as she stepped out of the carriage. He had a respect for Lili, as she was a sweet girl who always stopped to speak with him whenever Diamonds visited.

"My apologies, Lili." Francis gave a bow as well and both he and Lukas sent a look towards Mathias. The Dane got the hint and bowed with a slight roll of his eyes. He held back a yelp, biting down on his tongue as Lukas stomped on his foot

"Hey, Spade." Lukas stood up, making eye contact with Vash.

"Yes, Vash?" He said calmly.

"You gonna lead us in, or what?" The Swiss folded his arms, and Lukas gave a small sigh.

"Of course. Follow me." Lukas turned on heel and Mathias trotted after him. The Diamond Royals followed, a bit slower than Mathias but quick enough to keep up for the long strides of the Norwegian.

"Arthur!" Lukas called. The Queen popped his head out from the corner he'd just turned, curiosity shining in his green orbs.

"Oh, Lukas." He smiled at the Knight, and then his gaze wandered to the Diamonds behind him. "Francis," He said coldly before continuing to address the other two. "Lili, Vash. Nice to see you."

"Likewise," Vash said flatly. Lili gave a small curtsey, dipping her head as well.

"Thank you for holding the Festival of Cards this year, Arthur." She smiled at the Spades Queen, who returned the smile without hesitation. Mathias had noticed over the years that people of the same rank and position in the kingdoms seemed to get along best. It saddened the Heart is it occurred to him that Lukas and he were out of that loop; but at least Lukas tolerated him. He assumed that was the best he could hope for.

"It's our pleasure." Arthur said kindly before pulling his clock out of his pocket. The golden metal gleamed in the light and he inspected the clock face. Turning on heel in what must have been the direction of the king, Arthur yelled, "Alfred Jones! Get down here!"

The King of Spades paused in his ascent of the staircase and he looked down at the group before a grin formed on his lips. He jumped over the side of the railing, holding onto it as he slid down the smooth wooden rail. As he reached the end, he jumped off and landed with a small thud before straightening and strutting over.

"Thanks for escorting 'em, Lukas." Alfred said cheerfully, looping an arm around Arthur's waist.

"Of course, your Majesty." Lukas bowed. He straightened back up and, after a brief nod to both of his royals, turned on heel and swiftly began walking away. Mathias frowned slightly after him and Francis clapped a hand on his shoulder. The contact surprised him, but he turned to the Frenchman curiously.

"Have fun chasing after that one!" Francis said coyly, a smile on his lips before he shoved the Dane in the direction of the other Knight. Mathias flushed red, but he turned to go in the direction that Lukas had disappeared in. The King's words came back to him and he rubbed his neck – it's not like he wanted to pursue Lukas as a lover. At least, he didn't think that's what was happening. It took him a little bit to catch up the Lukas, and he wondered how the Norwegian managed to move so quickly.

"So, are you going back to your post?" Mathias asked awkwardly, a bit curious.

"No. I'll just go wander a bit." Lukas responded with a small shrug, still making a point to not look at Mathias. It was amusing, if the Dane really wanted to admit it. He found it funny that Lukas was trying so hard to avoid him. He obviously hadn't realized that it was just making the Dane try even harder. He reached forward, grabbing Lukas's wrist and spinning him around.

"Look at me, will you?" Mathias laughed slightly and Lukas hissed, violet eyes narrowing and cheeks flushing pink.

"I'm going to slap you." The Norwegian snapped, voice cold. Mathias spun him around again, much to the Norwegian's annoyance, and let go of him. Lukas brought a hand up so he could use the wall to steady himself; he got dizzy ridiculously easily.

"You can only slap me if you can catch me." Mathias teased, taking a few steps backwards. For every step that Lukas took forwards, Mathias took a step back. Eventually, the Norwegian just stopped with a glare.

"You're not worth my time." He decided, and Mathias felt a pang of hurt. Before he could get a word in, Lukas had turned and gone off in the other direction, quickening his pace until he was around the corner and out of Mathias's field of vision. The Dane's smile slid off of his face, being replaced with a frown, and he turned to go the opposite direction. Leaving the Norwegian alone seemed to be the best option.

.:o0o:.

_Augh, going through and rewriting is obnoxious. If you've already read this, can you spot the differences? wO Anyways, I've rewritten two out of god knows how many chapters, but at least my writing skills have gotten a little better. What do you guys think?_

_I'm looking for a Beta for this story, if someone wants to step up to plate and lend me a hand. I can't tell if I'm keeping Lukas in character, and that's really my only problem so far that I can see._

_Please review! _

_Tak (Danish): Thank you._

_Du er velkommen. (Norwegian): You're welcome_

_God morgen (Norwegian): Good morning._

_Góðan daginn (Icelandic): Good morning._

_I don't own Hetalia, Hetalia Cardsverse, any of the characters, etc etc etc._

_-StarryEyedArtist_


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